Book 10 Sample #01

1He doesn’t want to go.Angela stiffened. “Aloud, please.”William frowned as he understood. “Really? Even though we’re not on a private line?”“Yes.”William sighed. “You have to get that under control soon. People are fed up with it.”“Who do I kill? My love or my leader?”William snorted. “You’re the leader.”“I’m the substitute teacher who keeps the seat warm.”“You’re depressed!”Angela winced. She’d insisted on the conversation being spoken, but their driver was storing every word and the tension would wake Marc soon. He was sensitive to that now.“Is everything okay?” Marc didn’t open his eyes.Angela snickered. “Peachy.”Marc sat up in a hurry, reaching for his gun.Laughter told Marc she’d been joking. It happened so rarely that he always assumed she meant everything she said.Angela reached a hand back to clasp his wrist. “That was funny.”Marc holstered as he shot William an approving glance, then lay down next to the wolf who hadn’t budged.William shivered at the sensation. He’s powerful.Angela nodded. More so if I give him what he wants.“Why don’t you?” William asked, switching back to aloud, like she wanted.“Why don’t I corrupt him the rest of the way?”“I don’t think you can corrupt that one.” William shrugged. “But if so, does it matter at this point?”Angela sighed. “No. I’ve already decided I will train him, but tell me why it’s okay to condemn his soul anyway. I could still change my mind.”“He’s already damned for the battle we’ll have. In fact, I believe his death prevents him from taking part in it.”“Letting him die will save his soul?”William shrugged. “Perhaps that’s why fate has been hitting so hard. The Creator doesn’t want Marc in that fight.”“He’s meant to stay with Safe Haven on the island while we come back and die in service to God.”Angela’s words were so blunt that silence fell in the truck for the rest of the ride to their first break, but every brain went crazy with new thoughts and concerns.Marc didn’t go back to sleep. There was too much tension.Dog didn’t react at all. Exhausted, he was with his master and felt safe enough to sleep deep while his mind and body healed.

2“William explained some things to me.”Angela and Marc were snuggled together in the bunk of the truck, waiting for the bathroom stop to be over. William was getting his first eagle lesson with Jennifer.“And?”“You scare me.”“Good.”Marc held her tighter. “I want to be like you.”“No, you don’t.”“Can you come back to where I am?”“No.”“Then I have to come to you.”Angela shuddered. “You’ll ruin the chances we can build--”“No more of that lie.”“It isn’t a lie, Marc. I’m trying to figure it out. Ciemus may have helped me. I need time to sort through the cause and effect.”“It can’t be done.”‘Maybe not.”“Even if it can, I won’t do it.”“Now, I’m confused.” She rolled over so she could look at him, sliding close to stay warm. She’d refused to keep the truck running for heat during the stop. “Why wouldn’t you want it if I can find a way?”“We’ll all die anyway.” Marc rested his head against her. “No final battle, Angie. We stay on that island.”Angela wrapped her arms around him, sharing his pain. “When the time comes, we will return and do our duty. It’s why we were born into this time and place--to save the future. Not just ours, but the world. If we lose, it all ends. We can’t run from destiny.”“Then make me like you so I can help us win!”“Because you hope He will take pity and allow us to be together in the afterlife?”“Because we only have a few years left together and I want to share all of it.” Marc broke against her. “Please.”Angela’s tears ran over her cheeks as she smiled against his neck. “Okay.”Above them, lightning flashed and thunder rattled the ground in protest of the choice.He’s mine! she screamed mentally. I’ll make him so strong that even you can’t hurt him!Hail pinged into the convoy and the wind howled toward them.You can’t have him!A shield flashed into place around the convoy, shutting out the fury around them. Even the vibrations of the ground were muffled.Eagles and descendants stared in shocked fear.William clapped. “She’s amazing.”“She’s reckless.”William nodded at Jennifer’s comment. “Yes, child, she is. Aren’t you?”Jennifer wanted to argue and couldn’t.William examined the shield over the convoy, unable to spot a place where he could get through it.“Neither can I. She grew stronger again.”“All of you did because of the Naval station.”“Not like her.” Jennifer decided to trust William-mostly because Angela did. “She’s not even like you now. She just challenged the Creator for a life. She’s the target after this.”“And anything she loves?”Jennifer shrugged at his tone. “We’ve been that all along.”William frowned. “This doesn’t change anything?”Jennifer pointed to where the Eagles and camp were still doing their duty. “We’ve been marked since we survived. It’s about time she decided to change the rules of the game.”“But… It’s the Creator!”Jennifer returned to scanning for trouble, leaving him to figure it out. Jennifer wasn’t Angela. She wasn’t going to say it aloud and be struck down for blasphemy, though she agreed.William got it an instant later and groaned. “What is wrong with her?!”“She’s tired of an unfair system that never explains itself.”“But that’s not our purpose!”Jennifer spun around. “Do you know that for a fact?”William couldn’t lie. “No. I assume.”“And yet we’ve been gifted with powers beyond belief.” Jennifer’s tone grew pointed. “Makes you wonder why, right?”William nodded, subdued now. He’d always wondered and never found an answer that made sense until now. Maybe the descendants weren’t just here to protect humanity from itself. Perhaps they were supposed to defend mankind against all threats and that included a vengeful Creator who delighted in games, bets, and plagues.When lightning didn’t strike him down through Angela’s shield, William allowed himself to consider that. They couldn’t create a perfect society, and no one could ever atone for sins of the past, so they were changing the rules. Instead of being humble and submissive, hoping to regain favor, Angela was going to free her people the old-fashioned way.The entire convoy stilled as immense power surrounded them, pressing in on the shield as if a giant eye was peering in.Angela didn’t even lift her head. Her rage was sweltering, filling the cabin with waves of heat. Marc was pouring sweat under her as he refused to budge, to get away before she was destroyed.“These are my people now. I’ll kill them all in one blast of fire before we’ll swear loyalty to you.”

“Is she bluffing?”Jennifer shook her head, trembling at the feel of the power around them. She recognized Angela’s tactic, but it was beyond frightening.YOU WILL FIGHT FOR HE!I will not!The ground rumbled in warning and the shield began to weaken as power pressed in from all sides.Angela didn’t strengthen it. That wasn’t required of her defenses now. She waved a mental hand. Go on. Kill us all. You still won’t have your master’s army.The rumbling increased.“That’s it, isn’t it? There’s a battle coming and we’re the only ones left to fight the evil.”DARKNESS WILL WIN!No. Tell your master we refuse. The Creator must agree to-YOU CANNOT DEMAND!I just did.The shield around the convoy dropped. The weather immediately hit them. Go away now. We have to get back on the road.This fury rivaled anything they’d felt so far, but it was obvious the messenger couldn’t destroy them without permission from a higher authority.The presence vanished.A few of the younger people in Safe Haven cheered, but everyone else knew not to. The next meeting wouldn’t go as well.“That was interesting.” William had barely kept from speaking. He had so many questions!Jennifer snorted. “Don’t we all.” She waved toward Morgan. “He’s our protection for this stop. Don’t get out of his sight.”William followed as the windy, rainy bathroom stop resumed, eager for any lessons they wanted to give. Now that he’d heard the Messenger and knew for certain that there was a level above him and Angela, he wanted the same thing Marc did, but for a different reason. William wanted whatever deal Angela cut to apply to Ciemus. Safe Haven would need a friendly port to sail into when they returned. William had no doubt they would all do battle for the Creator, despite these negotiations, but now, he was confident they would come out of it with more than forgiveness for something they hadn’t done. Angela would make sure they were treated fairly.